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Deeplinks Blog posts about Security

Earlier this week researchers with Zimperium Mobile Security announced that they had found a scary new vulnerability deep in the code that Android phones and tablets use to handle multimedia.

The code and the vulnerability are called StageFright. The researchers discovered that by sending a text message containing a specially crafted audio or video file they could execute arbitrary code on the victim's phone. Zimperium estimates that in 50% of cases the user wouldn't even have to open the text message for the exploit to work. In the other 50%, the exploit runs as soon as the user opens the message containing the malicious content. According to Zimperium, this vulnerability affects any Android device running version 2.2 or above regardless of manufacturer, which accounts for nearly every android phone in existence (95% according to Zimperium).

EFF has long advocated for greater vigilance over the potential sale of specially-developed surveillance tools to oppressive regimes that use technology to commit human rights abuses. We want those countries to be held legally accountable for such conduct, and have rallied tech companies to take steps to prevent their products and services from being used for censorship and/or to target and harm activists.

Buenos Aires is currently in the middle of electing its mayor and city council. With a first round that took place on July 5th, and a second round due on July 19th, the election is the first time Argentina's capital city has used an electronic voting system called Vot.ar, created by local company Magic Software Argentina (MSA).